A corrugator is an integrated group of machines for manufacturing sheets of double face corrugated paperboard and includes a slitter scorer which is conventionally located downstream from a rotary shear and upstream from a cut-off machine. The slitter scorer slits the web of double face corrugated board longitudinally and scores the web by applying crease lines longitudinally thereon. A number of slitter scorers having a plurality of web paths are known. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,831,929; 2,756,050; 3,882,765; and 3,831,502. For prior art which teaches an automatic slitter scorer having means for shifting blades in order to position the blades for the next production run, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,010,677 and 4,033,217.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,765, the tandem slitter scorers are staggered. This staggered arrangement materially increases the floor space required (as measured in the direction of movement of the web). Slitter scorers such as those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,831,502 and 3,882,765 require a pit to be dug in the floor which greatly increases installation costs.
In many of said patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,316,064 and 3,831,502, it will be noted that the slitter scorer units are movable vertically between operative and inoperative positions. This concept is objectionable because heavy duty machinery is needed for moving such large masses and complex frames are required for the precision necessary for guiding such movement. Further, each slitter scorer unit requires its own drive motor for the slitter scorer shafts thereof. For example, see FIG. 9 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,502 wherein two motors designated by the numerals 30 are provided for movement with their respective slitter scorer units.
The present invention is directed to a solution of the problem of how to structurally interrelate slitter scorer apparatus having two web paths, with automatic blade adjustment, and yet provide apparatus which is so compact whereby it may be substituted for comparable apparatus in an existing operating corrugator.